Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says that cancellation of orders to use the army and national guard against protesters must be the first step towards deescalation of the situation in Ukraine

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov

VIENNA, May 06. /ITAR-TASS/. New Geneva conference on Ukraine is possible, but no progress will be made without the participation of the south-east, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said. “Nothing was thwarted (the Geneva accords of April 17),” the minister said, adding that “some attempts are being taken consistently to make senseless the agreements which had been worked out for the last few months."

Holding elections at a time when army is being used against part of the population looks rather unusual, Lavrov said. The Ukrainian regime must pull back the army and overturn orders to use the military against the people, the foreign minister added.

Lavrov said that cancellation of the orders to use the army and national guard against protesters must be the first step towards deescalation of the situation in Ukraine.

The Russian army stays in its own territory and is engaged in legal activities, the minister noted. “We have nothing to hide,” he said. “Our army is in its territory and is engaged in activities that no one has ever banned, that do not violate any legal or moral principles, and that fit in well with the framework of international agreements," Lavrov noted.

European Council favors compromise on Ukraine

The majority of the European Council’s member-states have spoken in favor of looking for compromise in Ukraine on the basis of the interests of the people, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said

Russia is convinced that there is a way out of the Ukrainian crisis, but it can be found only on the basis of the national dialogue, the minister stressed.

“We have confirmed our readiness to work for arranging such a dialogue,” Lavrov said. “We have a good basis for that - the February 21 agreement and the Geneva accords of April 17. They are to be honored," he added.

Russia has also called upon the European Council to pay attention to the revival of the Nazi ideology on the European territory, Lavrov added.